*PLEASE READ CAREFULLY* Please be a decent human being and keep your sexist/racist thoughts and conspiracy theories to yourself. External links are also a no-no. Comments that *advance* the conversation are most welcome.
Hi, not really a comment about the DACs, but thanks for mentioning the most important part of the hifi/audio game - the music. Not many mention tracks used and what to listen for, the emphasis you put on the actual music is very much appreciated, thank you.
Got myself a Dragonfly Red a few months ago and some Shure IEMs from my “playing in a live band” days. Embraced Dongle Life and it’s given so much life back to listening to music. Makes music feel like how it used to feel when you were a teenager and discovering new albums and artists left and right. I can’t wait for people to embrace DACs with streaming services pushing lossless and other higher (than mp3s and ogg-Vorbis) quality music
It's nice to see you struggling to describe/pair things. By comparing and pairing you help us consider how it might sound to us. The BEST bit is that you presented three and a half solutions that all have their place they do well. Thanks again.
Amazing! All your videos are exceptionally well made. It feels like watching an Attenborough documentary on audio components. My congratulations to your entire team.
John and Team, just want to pass on my total pleasure in consuming your content. Narrative, sequencing of topic, cinematography, soundtrack choices etc etc are such a joy…and your taste in music to test with. Huge thanks in making this content. Ps thanks for quick mention on the DFR. I love that thing.
I love how your videos always mention some bangin' tunes. I was circling in the same 'artist pool' lately, and that started to get boring. Your electronic suggestions made me go into new directions. I appreciate that aspect a lot! Keep up the awesome work!
I bought the cheapest no name dongle DAC I could find to sort of dip my toes in the water. Paired with a decent set of headphones, but certainly not great, I’m super impressed with how it sounds. That said, I’m in my 50s and don’t have great hearing, so I always wonder how much I’m missing. But I’m pretty happy with what I’m hearing 😃
its good and very accurate, like prob most realistic amongst most but its more like collectibles or certain use only like watching youtubes, theres always a livepro offers better overall no matter how good other make iems
Great review, so good to travel outside with you in these vids and we’ll done on sharing your thoughts on how they perform with full sized cans and in a system.
Got a Dragonfly Red and the Darko recommended Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XX’s from this video. And MAN does it make a difference!! I’ve been rediscovering my music library anew thanks to these upgrades!
Hello John - my appreciation for music changed for the better after getting the DragonFly Cobalt - such a shame it relies solely on Apple’s crude adaptor (had 3 of them replaced in the past year) ... respect for all your work! If only Audioquest were allowed to make the connector themselves they would sell a bucket load.
Hi John, it’s great to see a video of you out and about in Berlin. I missed does videos during the COVID-19 outbreak and happy to see a return. You’re portable gear reviews were always my favorite, hope you do a lot more of them in the future. Also hope to get your take on the other new models from campfire audio - especially the Mammoth which replaces the Polaris2 that used to be your favorite IEM from campfire. Keep up your great work. Love your stuff.
In my personal experience I can't recommend using the Dragonfly with the Dragon tail for portable use, mine kept on disconnecting; it might be my particular equipment, but I found myself buying the FiiO BTR 5 and Zorloo Stella with much better results. Don't get me wrong, I think that the cobalt sounds great, but if you can't get it to work it is not of much use.
I stepped on and broke my faithful old Sony headphones recently, so I ran out yesterday and treated myself to the Sennheiser HD560S, I was so impressed with the new sound quality, particularly the bass, that I thought that it could be a good idea to maybe invest in an external DAC too, to squeeze the last few drops of improvement out of my collection of old 70s rock classics. I stumbled across your video about the Dragonfly Indigo, watched it and found it so inspiring that I immediately went out and bought one. It’s improved everything as promised, but the extra detail to be found in things like Frank Sinatra’s recordings with Nelson Riddle has really surprised me, everything is just so unbelievably clear, the instruments, especially the vocals, it really is as though the fog has been filtered out - I’m rediscovering all my favourite music. Thanks for the video, and the good advice.
Do these DF dongles also improves your already downloaded Mp3 music on your computer and on your Phone library or is it just for listening to Apple Music and Spotify and basically when streaming music only ?
I purchased a Helm Bolt DAC and a pair of Philips Fidelio Hi-Res headphones. I’m using Apple Lossless music. I’m loving the sound quality. Listened to The Doors complete collection in Hi-Res Lossless and it was amazing! “Music is your only friend until the end”
Grateful that you made the effort to explore and explain the real world usability of the DACs. I feel like I am likely to listen more carefully at home and will probably continue to be satisfied with Bluetooth when on the move. But if I do get into IEMs usability will play a large role in my decision making process. Thanks for another great clip
I started off with a Dragonfly Cobalt, loved it but had to sell it, regretted selling it, considered getting the THX Onyx but finally pulled the trigger on a CHORD Mojo when one became available. Get this: the Mojo is made in the UK, I bought it from a distributor in Japan and I'm in Canada. So my Mojo, although it's portable but not a dongle DAC, literally traveled around the world before becoming a permanent fixture in my system. Cheers from Montreal.
Fantastic thoughts ... for us tinnitus sufferers (professional trumpeter here, lol), I especially appreciate the thoughts about general sound signature for these. Sometimes, I just can't stand treble-forward sound sources, and knowing how these compare is super helpful. Thanks as always!
I am so happy that comment section is now open. I so wanted to thank you for suggesting Purple Mountain. I am love in with that album. Coming to the topic, I am on a very tight budget and I got Shanling UA1, and it's really nice for its price. Thanks for all the informative video. Kudos to you and the entire team.
John, I use a Lightning-to-USB A dongle from Lavricables to connect my Dragonfly Cobalt, that feels fairly elegant and works beautifully. The cable is a twisted or braided silver in a flexible nylon sheath. Not sure it’ll last forever, but it certainly feels nicer than the CCK and sounds good.
Another great insight into getting better audio. Seems though, we iPhone users are doomed. I for one don't wear pants with pockets so I'm relegated to putting all that in my purse. I am using an iFi xDSD most of the time and that does fit well into my purse. Probably wouldn't be a great choice for guys. Thanks for all the info.
For iPhone & iPad I use a Lotoo PAW S1 - plugs straight in without an camera adapter & comes with both lightning and usb-c tails. Sound fantastic & better than the Cobolt, which to me is too dry and lacks punch. Cant recommend this product enough and use it every day.
@@dixieflatline1189 Thanks very much for your input. I will look into it. I agree, the Cobalt left me flat. Waaaaaaay too much money for what it is. Overblown USB stick.
Already posted elsewhere in the comments section but I use a Lavricables adapter to connect my iPhone to my Cobalt. Works well and feels like a definite upgrade over the CCK.
Thank you for this comparison. I have been quite curios about the THX Onyx as I have a Dragonfly Cobalt that I quite enjoy for mobile use (or was just mobile use away from my desk). Your explanations made it clear I'm good with the Cobalt. I was using the Cobalt with my 6XX and TinHiFi 4, but then added the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (which I picked up for audio editing) and those paired with the Cobalt (with the 1990 balanced ear pads on) is my go to setup with CD lossless on up as I'm hearing things really cleanly I've never heard before and no high end brightness nor annoyances. I think I may be set for a while with this setup. Your video helped answer my Onyx question, which I am grateful for.
As an Android user, my MAIN issue has always been the lack of finer volume steps integrated into their OS. The only dongle I know to properly add this r the Dragonfly dongles. However having owned Red and Black, the battery drain does take its toll, as well as price too high against something better. I've since entered Fiio BTR5 and have not looked back. Setting volume to max on phone and then using the 50 fine steps on the Fiio has been bliss. With bluetooth's LDAC and 320k/lossless from the phone, sound is nearly indistinguishable from 3.5mm. And I mean 99.9%! I won't even consider a dongle or bluetooth unless there's separate volume control. That being said, I still enjoyed this review. It's nice hearing someone else's take on connection for mobile audio and how they perform, even since purchasing Fiio. Thank you😎
I have a pixel phone and recently bought the Apple USB c dongle dac. For android users, the Apple dongle dac is a proper upgrade to the pixel one of you listen with decent IEM. In the Netherlands you can get the Apple USB c dongle for € 10 shipped from the Apple store. It's a good gateway to improving your portable audio.
I love watching your videos, the ambiance is great around you, I just watched a video on an audiophile who used the Dragonfly Cobalt with a five thousand dollar headphone setup and I thought I better research this little dongle. His setup was LCD-XC with the aftermarket carbon fibre headband and a $4000.00 aftermarket headphone cable, and the Cobalt!
One worth taking a look at is the ddHiFi TC35B and TC35i dongle DACs. I originally got one because I liked that they supported inline-mic controls but was blown away by how good it sounded. Also, since there is an lightning version you can avoid dongle hell. They’re made of a nice blue aluminum too and feel very rugged. Awesome to see more attention for dongle DACs! Love your videos, they’re great! 😄
Just switched from an Android phone with no hp jack to LG's V60 that's got the jack. It is so nice to not have to deal with dongles. Nothing to remember to bring, nothing to lose.
This review was the final push needed for me to buy the honeydews, order the red dragonfly (coming tomorrow) get a €2 60 day Tidal try out subscription and become a Darko Patreon! Thank you sir!
The iPhone has the Fiio dongle DAC. It would also be cool to get your thoughts on the Sony smartphones since the newest ones claim to have a Walkman built in.
@@cine-ish It could be a reference to the Fiio cable that allows direct connection to a USB-C DAC rather than using the Apple USB connector or a reference to the Fiio Dongle DAC (similar to the Apple Dongle)
Thanks for an honest and comprehensive comparison. I personally use a Zorloo Ztella MQA and an E1DA 9038D, depending on the head/earphone. You should really check out the E1DA, as you can change the ESS reconstruction filters on the fly which makes it unique in being able to match it to your personal gear and music preference.
Yep. Totally agree. Love my E1DA 9038D. Tremendous sound quality. Much better than the quad DAC in my LG V40, although some of that improvement may be down to the amp section. Also the sound is, as you say, extremely configurable through the excellent app.
I was wondering if either of you guys know how to setup the FIRMWARE for the E1DASG3 or E1DA DACS. I am not a tech guy by any means, and ANY HELP would be much appreciated!
The standard lightning dongle is what a use with the new Apple Music lossless service. I would really like to know the difference or at least learn from a comparison
Thank you John! Wonderful info as always. I have been using the THX Onyx since it first shipped --- my first 'standalone' DAC... paired now with Monlith M1060 Planar Magnetic Open-backs (my first here too). Music I used to not care for sounds so lovely now, I listen all day. I wish I had two of the Onyx as I also like to use it on the computer to feed the Klipsch monitors. I am curious what you are using for that lightning to usb-c cable. I would prefer something more robust than that camera adapter thing... :-) Also, for other readers, I came across a little bargin for when I want robust over utter quality.... 'Tera Grand' - Apple MFi Certified Lightning to Headphone Jack Audio Adapter with 24-bit Built-in DAC. It is only 8.5cm long and a very nice rubber (PVC) housing. It sounds way better than other lighting-to-3.5mm dongles for only $19 on Amazon (although it says not available right now).
Your abode is stellar but so nice to see you being able to broadcast outside once again! Thanks for focusing on technology and products that supports the core stuff. I must’ve gone through three I-pod dongles with my cobalt because they are not well made for those of us who are on the go and don’t want to do wireless when trancing out to good tunes. (Apple….We know you’re not key to audiophile sub-culture but take a little notice!)
Shout out to the PH-1. What a glorious design, used mine until the battery gave up. I really hope another disruptor enters the market to provide a midsize, super clean device at some point.
Thank you for spending the time to give a really accurate analysis! And the playlist? Great great taste! Sigurd Ros is the perfect example for mids and highs
So once I watched this video I was finally ready to make my purchase. So what did I end up spending my money on... I got the THX Onyx and the Shure Aonic 4. Now I know you might say that this video clearly states that the Dragonfly Cobalt is better, but it's also 100 USD more expensive and I had the luxury of trying both, so I decided to save my money and get the Onyx because it gave me the results I was looking for. Next, I know that Shure Aonic 4 aren't the best IEMs on the market but they were even listed in the recommendation section of THX Onyx plus during my test they did a good job. Obviously there are other budget IEMs that you can get that would sound just as good like Fiio, but for me, because of the snug fit I got from Aonic 4 they were my go to. I also tried the Aonic 5, but they were too large for my ears. So just as Darko recommend I got the USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) and a Tidal subscription, since UAPP doesn't support Deezer. Have to say that this is obviously not some audiphile heaven... But this is surely a huge huge improvement over just some cheap earphones and Spotify. So to my fellow beginner audiophiles, subscribe to this awesome channel and I wish you all the best. P.s. I would test to see if the THX Onyx connected to my Xbox Series X pad would give me a better sound while using my Arctis 7. Once I do, I would reply with the results. Darko.... You are The Man. Thank you
Hi John, thanks for another excellent video, as usual a perfect guide for audiophiles or enthusiasts. Only one comment there are very good practical options for iPhone users such us the: DD ddHiFi TC28i Lightning Male to TypeC Female OTG, way smaller than all the dongles you mentioned,even if is not certified by apple it never fails and most importantly is well built. I use it with the Helm DAC. Again, thanks for the excellent video and sharing your passion for audio quality.
Excellent video. Loved the Hegel quote. Had a dragonfly red in the past but now I would not go back after I tried the Fiio BTR5. Having my phone cable free on the go is just so good. At home I can connect the Fiio with a cable or switch to something bigger.
the market has been listening; a ChiFi company has come out with the DD DDHIFI TC35 PRO (MOUNTAIN) 3.5MM DAC & AMP ADAPTER it come in USB-C and Lightning configurations. No dongle cable; plugs directly into the phone port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Up to 32bit -768Hz; MQA from a DAC chip: ES9281AC PRO; I'll know how it sounds soon. Thanks for your fine videos and viewpoint. Cheers!
There does seem to be a number of lightning adapter and cable options from Chinese audio companies. I have several and they all work well without adding a lot of bulk or size. They include a USB C male to lightning cable from Hiby, a lightning to USB C female block (i.e. no cable) adapter from DDHiFi and another similar adapter which is unbranded.
Really appreciate your vids. It's hard to find someone who can test out all of the products and give you their recommendation for the best one for the price etc. Most of us only buy one and hope its the best for the money, so your thoughts are appreciated.
I originally bought the Helm bolt, loved it, and had to send it back as it wasn't "robust" enough, started coming apart at the point mentioned. Enjoying the Onyx but for the size, kinda wish it had a play/pause button with the functionality you might get from an inline mic on cheaper earphones.
I have the dragonfly and am extremely pleased with it. It gets used daily with my iPad. The only issue I’ve had so far was a broken 3.5mm socket as it fell to the floor and landed on the headphone plug which broke the socket.
The thing with DACs in my eyes is: Everything will sound better through a good one, but it's easier to hear the differences between low quality and high quality. That doesn't mean the low quality is unpleasant to listen to, but it makes the high quality stuff more enjoyable. On the go, I don't even use Hifi. I can't really appreciate the quality of actual Hifi on the go.
Nowadays, most people cannot even tell if a DAC is good because most of them are good enough. Amplification makes a much bigger difference (to a harder to drive headphones or more resolving ones. And most commercial headphones are easy to drive.)
First I’d like to mention great videos!! Have you found any third party reliable IOS lighting adapter for the Dragonfly Cobalt? I have used the Apple adapters and they fit snugly with the Cobalt but as you mentioned the cords are very weak and break extremely fast in the pocket from that bend radius. It’s a shame Audioquest doesn’t have a Dragontail adapter for IOS devices.
I bought a Dragonfly Cobalt a year ago and the casing fell apart on it so I sent it in and they gave me a new Dragonfly. This one doesn’t work with my phone though but it works on my parents; I guess it’s time for an upgrade!
John, that was an xlnt review for these 3 DAC’s. I use the Meze Advars with my AK Kann Max, but want to also make use of the HiRes streaming apps with my iPhone. Bolt, THX or Dragonfly? I do like using the 4.4 mm cables with the balanced output on the Astell & Kern DAP. The Advar’s also have 3.5 mm cable.
I’m recently starting to learn about DACS so I would really like to know if there is a huge difference between this expert dongles dacs and listening to lossless Apple Music through the regular Apple lightning dongle dac. So far I understand that it can handle 24/48. A comparison would be very much appreciated
Thank you and well said. I am also a beginner and wanting to learn more. Is there is a huge difference? I have Apple Music and an Iphone, so the desire to listen to the best sounding quality is high.
I first got the Apple 3.5mm dongle but then purchased the Dragonfly Red and the difference is IMMEDIATELY apparent. I’m saving up for the Dragonfly Cobalt because from Darko’s own reviews along with several other audio reviews, Cobalt is supposed to be the best of the best.
I have the TC28i for my iPhone 11 with the Cobalt, was working well for months but somehow, just yesterday, the dreaded message appeared: “This accessory is not supported by this iPhone” ! It remains unsupported even when I upgraded to latest iOS version (14.7). What is a good Android phone to get to use as a transport now that LG no longer does phones?
I use the Cobalt for my desktop setup -and I love it. It's connected to some powered Yamaha HS7 speakers. Went to get a Helm Bolt, but sold out everywhere I checked. Any thoughts on the ALO Audio Pilot USB DAC?
Thanks for the comparison. I only wish you included the frequency response curve for each of these DAC dangles (if they're available). Describing was good, but made me a little uneasy about the Cobalt as I will use that on the go for mixing down my DAW tracks when I'm on the go. Still, thanks for the honest assessment. Be safe!
Do these DF dongles also improves your already downloaded Mp3 music on your computer and on your Phone library or is it just for listening to Apple Music and Spotify and basically when streaming music only ?
Thanks, nice review. 👍🏼 I still enjoy the Apogee Groove with my MacBook Pro for listing and mixing music. 💪🏼 Unfortunately mobile phones have not enough power to drive the Apogee Groove…
Great video John! Nice to see you walking round Berlin, I went in 2018 and saw Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at the Waldbühne, great gig. I have the Dragon fly cobalt, I think it’s a bloody brilliant product I pair it with Bose QC35 ii and get pretty sensational SQ whilst sat in college (I’m an architecture student) or while walking round Hull, UK. 👍
Please, for the love of all things holy, can you do a review of the very exciting new Astell&Kern dongle DAC? I'd love to hear your take on how its sound character compares to these devices.
Perhaps this can help someone. I had an AQ Red for about a year and just loved it. When the Cobalt came out I sold the Red to a pal and did the upgrade. Love them both!! For me, the Cobalt was worth the extra money as it does sound a touch better. Both Red and Cobalt have been flawless with my HP laptop and with my iPhone 8+. Both have been flawless into my AQ NightOwl headphones, and also into my Totem Acoustic Kin Play active speaker system which I use in my office.
May I suggest that you replace your black silicone tips with custom moulded tips. Would be interesting to hear your experience with the same dongle dacs. Cheers
My definition of a valuable dongle DAC is: does it beat AAC over Bluetooth? Because true wireless with noise canceling would seem to be the “always” right choice for suburban walk about for reasons cited by JD herein. But TWS can feel lacking. And I own a couple of pleasing wired IEMs (and a few duds). So on a lark I picked up the ddHiFi TC35 in both the usb-c and lightning flavors. Love their “unibody” (no wire to bend) design. Hoped they’d sonically beat the Radsone BT Receiver with my favored IEMs. Whoa. Easily pass that test. Now, I have no indoor need for a dongle DAC. So the likelihood that the ddHiFi TC35 are a step below any of the three JD has tested seems high, but for me on walks there’s such a thing as “good enough.” At the ddHiFi price point, great value and sonic satisfaction have been given unto me, FWIW.
What is that beautiful music playing in the middle of the video? Sounded like a Four Seasons but I was not sure and Shazam doesn’t recognize it. Thank you.
I did look up all the Four Seasons I own (a dozen or so) and the ones I could stream too but none was this version. This one seems like a reworked Four Seasons Summer but I am not sure what it is exactly or which version/performance . Even Shazam and Siri couldn’t tell what it is. I wish John would tell us. Spent a lot of time trying to figure it out.
Please consider: if the iPhone-Camera-Connector (or any cheap alternative) or the USB-C-to-USB-A-Adapter breaks ... you can still use the Dragonfly with any cheap new Adapter. The Dongle still works, whereas the other Dongles (may they cost 100,- oder 200,-) are completely broken. This is, why the Dragonfly (in my case just the black one) will alwas be my to-go-alternative. 😀
You should try out the various Bluetooth DACs like FiiO BTR5, Shanling UP4, Earman ES100, Quedelix etc. Also, missed opportunity, you could have included Earman Eagle too
Hi good review. I had the cobalt for over a year and loved the unit. But after 2 month the dragontail usb c dose not work anymore. With an 8€ otg Adapter it worked for month.
I recently bought the Fender AE1i 3.5mm>lightning dongle DAC from an online retailer out of AU for $100 and it’s fantastic (it supports up to 32bit/384kHz)
The standard Apple lightning dongle DAC is supposed to support 24/48 and with the New Apple Music lossless service, it would be interesting to learn from a comparison.
I get Apple Music bit perfect playback on my pixel 4xl :) unsure if it is a software update that’s happened, but using an ifi Diablo I was able to see the light change colours between the different sample rates up to 192khz
*PLEASE READ CAREFULLY* Please be a decent human being and keep your sexist/racist thoughts and conspiracy theories to yourself. External links are also a no-no. Comments that *advance* the conversation are most welcome.
Hi, not really a comment about the DACs, but thanks for mentioning the most important part of the hifi/audio game - the music. Not many mention tracks used and what to listen for, the emphasis you put on the actual music is very much appreciated, thank you.
What if you use Flac, Aac Mp3 on your Android phone with a Dac dongle, will each format sound a little better than the last. 👍
Got myself a Dragonfly Red a few months ago and some Shure IEMs from my “playing in a live band” days. Embraced Dongle Life and it’s given so much life back to listening to music. Makes music feel like how it used to feel when you were a teenager and discovering new albums and artists left and right. I can’t wait for people to embrace DACs with streaming services pushing lossless and other higher (than mp3s and ogg-Vorbis) quality music
It's nice to see you struggling to describe/pair things. By comparing and pairing you help us consider how it might sound to us. The BEST bit is that you presented three and a half solutions that all have their place they do well. Thanks again.
Amazing! All your videos are exceptionally well made. It feels like watching an Attenborough documentary on audio components. My congratulations to your entire team.
John and Team, just want to pass on my total pleasure in consuming your content. Narrative, sequencing of topic, cinematography, soundtrack choices etc etc are such a joy…and your taste in music to test with. Huge thanks in making this content. Ps thanks for quick mention on the DFR. I love that thing.
I love how your videos always mention some bangin' tunes. I was circling in the same 'artist pool' lately, and that started to get boring. Your electronic suggestions made me go into new directions.
I appreciate that aspect a lot! Keep up the awesome work!
I bought the cheapest no name dongle DAC I could find to sort of dip my toes in the water.
Paired with a decent set of headphones, but certainly not great, I’m super impressed with how it sounds.
That said, I’m in my 50s and don’t have great hearing, so I always wonder how much I’m missing.
But I’m pretty happy with what I’m hearing 😃
its good and very accurate, like prob most realistic amongst most
but its more like collectibles or certain use only like watching youtubes, theres always a livepro offers better overall no matter how good other make iems
Great review, so good to travel outside with you in these vids and we’ll done on sharing your thoughts on how they perform with full sized cans and in a system.
What a beautiful day in Berlin, thanks John.
The quality of this video is ridiculously good...
Got a Dragonfly Red and the Darko recommended Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XX’s from this video. And MAN does it make a difference!! I’ve been rediscovering my music library anew thanks to these upgrades!
Hello John - my appreciation for music changed for the better after getting the DragonFly Cobalt - such a shame it relies solely on Apple’s crude adaptor (had 3 of them replaced in the past year) ... respect for all your work! If only Audioquest were allowed to make the connector themselves they would sell a bucket load.
Hi John, it’s great to see a video of you out and about in Berlin. I missed does videos during the COVID-19 outbreak and happy to see a return. You’re portable gear reviews were always my favorite, hope you do a lot more of them in the future. Also hope to get your take on the other new models from campfire audio - especially the Mammoth which replaces the Polaris2 that used to be your favorite IEM from campfire. Keep up your great work. Love your stuff.
Now that dongles are back in fashion, I'm still rocking my Meridian Explorer USB DAC from 2014. Welcome to the club.
In my personal experience I can't recommend using the Dragonfly with the Dragon tail for portable use, mine kept on disconnecting; it might be my particular equipment, but I found myself buying the FiiO BTR 5 and Zorloo Stella with much better results. Don't get me wrong, I think that the cobalt sounds great, but if you can't get it to work it is not of much use.
Qudelix 5k is significantly better than the BTR-5. I just upgraded. Recommend it
I never buy anything from fiio, their DAP can’t outform my LG G7, BTR series is meh. I rather buy a DACPort.
I stepped on and broke my faithful old Sony headphones recently, so I ran out yesterday and treated myself to the Sennheiser HD560S, I was so impressed with the new sound quality, particularly the bass, that I thought that it could be a good idea to maybe invest in an external DAC too, to squeeze the last few drops of improvement out of my collection of old 70s rock classics.
I stumbled across your video about the Dragonfly Indigo, watched it and found it so inspiring that I immediately went out and bought one.
It’s improved everything as promised, but the extra detail to be found in things like Frank Sinatra’s recordings with Nelson Riddle has really surprised me, everything is just so unbelievably clear, the instruments, especially the vocals, it really is as though the fog has been filtered out - I’m rediscovering all my favourite music.
Thanks for the video, and the good advice.
Do these DF dongles also improves your already downloaded Mp3 music on your computer and on your Phone library or is it just for listening to Apple Music and Spotify and basically when streaming music only ?
I purchased a Helm Bolt DAC and a pair of Philips Fidelio Hi-Res headphones. I’m using Apple Lossless music. I’m loving the sound quality. Listened to The Doors complete collection in Hi-Res Lossless and it was amazing! “Music is your only friend until the end”
Grateful that you made the effort to explore and explain the real world usability of the DACs. I feel like I am likely to listen more carefully at home and will probably continue to be satisfied with Bluetooth when on the move. But if I do get into IEMs usability will play a large role in my decision making process. Thanks for another great clip
I started off with a Dragonfly Cobalt, loved it but had to sell it, regretted selling it, considered getting the THX Onyx but finally pulled the trigger on a CHORD Mojo when one became available. Get this: the Mojo is made in the UK, I bought it from a distributor in Japan and I'm in Canada. So my Mojo, although it's portable but not a dongle DAC, literally traveled around the world before becoming a permanent fixture in my system.
Cheers from Montreal.
Fantastic thoughts ... for us tinnitus sufferers (professional trumpeter here, lol), I especially appreciate the thoughts about general sound signature for these. Sometimes, I just can't stand treble-forward sound sources, and knowing how these compare is super helpful. Thanks as always!
I currently have a Hididz Sonata HD DAC II. This video has helped me lean more towards upgrading to the THX Onyx.
I am so happy that comment section is now open. I so wanted to thank you for suggesting Purple Mountain. I am love in with that album.
Coming to the topic, I am on a very tight budget and I got Shanling UA1, and it's really nice for its price.
Thanks for all the informative video. Kudos to you and the entire team.
Purple Mountain by who?
@@zahitemremetin606 album and the band is Purple Mountain. Lead singer was David Berman
John, I use a Lightning-to-USB A dongle from Lavricables to connect my Dragonfly Cobalt, that feels fairly elegant and works beautifully. The cable is a twisted or braided silver in a flexible nylon sheath. Not sure it’ll last forever, but it certainly feels nicer than the CCK and sounds good.
Great review as always Jon I like the fact that you are not an audiophile snob unlike many others
FWIW - I appreciated and enjoyed that you captured the sounds of the city in this video. It was a pleasant departure from the norm.
Awesome to see you out and about in Berlin for a video, and a great theme for that. Hope to see more remote chats in the future.
Another great insight into getting better audio. Seems though, we iPhone users are doomed. I for one don't wear pants with pockets so I'm relegated to putting all that in my purse. I am using an iFi xDSD most of the time and that does fit well into my purse. Probably wouldn't be a great choice for guys. Thanks for all the info.
tbh I wouldnt care much if you are out and about. Bluetooth will work fine for those situations, esp if you benefit vom ANC.
For iPhone & iPad I use a Lotoo PAW S1 - plugs straight in without an camera adapter & comes with both lightning and usb-c tails. Sound fantastic & better than the Cobolt, which to me is too dry and lacks punch. Cant recommend this product enough and use it every day.
@@dixieflatline1189 Thanks very much for your input. I will look into it. I agree, the Cobalt left me flat. Waaaaaaay too much money for what it is. Overblown USB stick.
@@LesserpandaDE Very true and I do have a great pair of Bluetooth IEM's. Thanks for the advice. :-)
Already posted elsewhere in the comments section but I use a Lavricables adapter to connect my iPhone to my Cobalt. Works well and feels like a definite upgrade over the CCK.
Thank you for this comparison. I have been quite curios about the THX Onyx as I have a Dragonfly Cobalt that I quite enjoy for mobile use (or was just mobile use away from my desk). Your explanations made it clear I'm good with the Cobalt.
I was using the Cobalt with my 6XX and TinHiFi 4, but then added the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (which I picked up for audio editing) and those paired with the Cobalt (with the 1990 balanced ear pads on) is my go to setup with CD lossless on up as I'm hearing things really cleanly I've never heard before and no high end brightness nor annoyances. I think I may be set for a while with this setup. Your video helped answer my Onyx question, which I am grateful for.
As an Android user, my MAIN issue has always been the lack of finer volume steps integrated into their OS. The only dongle I know to properly add this r the Dragonfly dongles. However having owned Red and Black, the battery drain does take its toll, as well as price too high against something better. I've since entered Fiio BTR5 and have not looked back. Setting volume to max on phone and then using the 50 fine steps on the Fiio has been bliss. With bluetooth's LDAC and 320k/lossless from the phone, sound is nearly indistinguishable from 3.5mm. And I mean 99.9%! I won't even consider a dongle or bluetooth unless there's separate volume control. That being said, I still enjoyed this review. It's nice hearing someone else's take on connection for mobile audio and how they perform, even since purchasing Fiio. Thank you😎
I have a pixel phone and recently bought the Apple USB c dongle dac. For android users, the Apple dongle dac is a proper upgrade to the pixel one of you listen with decent IEM. In the Netherlands you can get the Apple USB c dongle for € 10 shipped from the Apple store. It's a good gateway to improving your portable audio.
That's not a dongle DAC, it's a mere passive adapter, you are still using the phone's internal DAC and amp.
I love watching your videos, the ambiance is great around you, I just watched a video on an audiophile who used the Dragonfly Cobalt with a five thousand dollar headphone setup and I thought I better research this little dongle. His setup was LCD-XC with the aftermarket carbon fibre headband and a $4000.00 aftermarket headphone cable, and the Cobalt!
Been waiting for someone to compare the Helm Bolt and THX Onyx. Good work man!
One worth taking a look at is the ddHiFi TC35B and TC35i dongle DACs. I originally got one because I liked that they supported inline-mic controls but was blown away by how good it sounded. Also, since there is an lightning version you can avoid dongle hell. They’re made of a nice blue aluminum too and feel very rugged.
Awesome to see more attention for dongle DACs! Love your videos, they’re great! 😄
Just switched from an Android phone with no hp jack to LG's V60 that's got the jack. It is so nice to not have to deal with dongles. Nothing to remember to bring, nothing to lose.
G6+ & V30+ here 👍🏻👍🏻 problem in the future is the batteries
Thanks for another great video. Really enjoyed the scenery.
This review was the final push needed for me to buy the honeydews, order the red dragonfly (coming tomorrow) get a €2 60 day Tidal try out subscription and become a Darko Patreon! Thank you sir!
The iPhone has the Fiio dongle DAC. It would also be cool to get your thoughts on the Sony smartphones since the newest ones claim to have a Walkman built in.
Your sentence structure confuses me, iPhone hasn't got a built in dac, thus why it uses a dongle.
@@cine-ish It could be a reference to the Fiio cable that allows direct connection to a USB-C DAC rather than using the Apple USB connector or a reference to the Fiio Dongle DAC (similar to the Apple Dongle)
Thanks for an honest and comprehensive comparison. I personally use a Zorloo Ztella MQA and an E1DA 9038D, depending on the head/earphone. You should really check out the E1DA, as you can change the ESS reconstruction filters on the fly which makes it unique in being able to match it to your personal gear and music preference.
Yep. Totally agree.
Love my E1DA 9038D. Tremendous sound quality. Much better than the quad DAC in my LG V40, although some of that improvement may be down to the amp section. Also the sound is, as you say, extremely configurable through the excellent app.
I was wondering if either of you guys know how to setup
the FIRMWARE for the E1DASG3 or E1DA DACS. I am not a tech guy by any means, and ANY HELP would be much appreciated!
For out and about an Apple dongle dac is all you really need. Excellent value for money.
The standard lightning dongle is what a use with the new Apple Music lossless service. I would really like to know the difference or at least learn from a comparison
Sir, it seems like you're reading my mind. I was just about to start my second day of looking into dongle DACs. Thanks for this! Haha!
Thank you John! Wonderful info as always.
I have been using the THX Onyx since it first shipped --- my first 'standalone' DAC... paired now with Monlith M1060 Planar Magnetic Open-backs (my first here too). Music I used to not care for sounds so lovely now, I listen all day.
I wish I had two of the Onyx as I also like to use it on the computer to feed the Klipsch monitors.
I am curious what you are using for that lightning to usb-c cable. I would prefer something more robust than that camera adapter thing... :-)
Also, for other readers, I came across a little bargin for when I want robust over utter quality.... 'Tera Grand' - Apple MFi Certified Lightning to Headphone Jack Audio Adapter with 24-bit Built-in DAC. It is only 8.5cm long and a very nice rubber (PVC) housing. It sounds way better than other lighting-to-3.5mm dongles for only $19 on Amazon (although it says not available right now).
Your abode is stellar but so nice to see you being able to broadcast outside once again! Thanks for focusing on technology and products that supports the core stuff. I must’ve gone through three I-pod dongles with my cobalt because they are not well made for those of us who are on the go and don’t want to do wireless when trancing out to good tunes.
(Apple….We know you’re not key to audiophile sub-culture but take a little notice!)
an essential phone in 2021? damn what a blast from the past. it always had such a great aesthetic
Great video and info! You do a great job of reading our minds with the questions we have and answer them in your video
Shout out to the PH-1. What a glorious design, used mine until the battery gave up. I really hope another disruptor enters the market to provide a midsize, super clean device at some point.
Thank you for spending the time to give a really accurate analysis! And the playlist? Great great taste! Sigurd Ros is the perfect example for mids and highs
Great video. Very helpful. I always look forward to your productions.
So once I watched this video I was finally ready to make my purchase. So what did I end up spending my money on... I got the THX Onyx and the Shure Aonic 4. Now I know you might say that this video clearly states that the Dragonfly Cobalt is better, but it's also 100 USD more expensive and I had the luxury of trying both, so I decided to save my money and get the Onyx because it gave me the results I was looking for. Next, I know that Shure Aonic 4 aren't the best IEMs on the market but they were even listed in the recommendation section of THX Onyx plus during my test they did a good job. Obviously there are other budget IEMs that you can get that would sound just as good like Fiio, but for me, because of the snug fit I got from Aonic 4 they were my go to. I also tried the Aonic 5, but they were too large for my ears. So just as Darko recommend I got the USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) and a Tidal subscription, since UAPP doesn't support Deezer. Have to say that this is obviously not some audiphile heaven... But this is surely a huge huge improvement over just some cheap earphones and Spotify. So to my fellow beginner audiophiles, subscribe to this awesome channel and I wish you all the best. P.s. I would test to see if the THX Onyx connected to my Xbox Series X pad would give me a better sound while using my Arctis 7. Once I do, I would reply with the results. Darko.... You are The Man. Thank you
Hi John, thanks for another excellent video, as usual a perfect guide for audiophiles or enthusiasts. Only one comment there are very good practical options for iPhone users such us the: DD ddHiFi TC28i Lightning Male to TypeC Female OTG, way smaller than all the dongles you mentioned,even if is not certified by apple it never fails and most importantly is well built. I use it with the Helm DAC. Again, thanks for the excellent video and sharing your passion for audio quality.
Excellent video. Loved the Hegel quote. Had a dragonfly red in the past but now I would not go back after I tried the Fiio BTR5. Having my phone cable free on the go is just so good. At home I can connect the Fiio with a cable or switch to something bigger.
the market has been listening; a ChiFi company has come out with the DD DDHIFI TC35 PRO (MOUNTAIN) 3.5MM DAC & AMP ADAPTER it come in USB-C and Lightning configurations. No dongle cable; plugs directly into the phone port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Up to 32bit -768Hz; MQA from a DAC chip: ES9281AC PRO; I'll know how it sounds soon.
Thanks for your fine videos and viewpoint. Cheers!
There does seem to be a number of lightning adapter and cable options from Chinese audio companies. I have several and they all work well without adding a lot of bulk or size. They include a USB C male to lightning cable from Hiby, a lightning to USB C female block (i.e. no cable) adapter from DDHiFi and another similar adapter which is unbranded.
My man is rocking the Essential PH-1! Subbed!
Another great addition to this list is the Hidizs S9 Pro. Would love to know what you think of that one.
Not too many reviews available on these although I have just ordered one so look forward to seeing more English reviews on it soon.
@@ronanmorgan426 saw 2 reviews, it says it is super nice, like cobalt but more futures ( balance output + single ended) a lot of power 200mw 32 omh.
Really appreciate your vids. It's hard to find someone who can test out all of the products and give you their recommendation for the best one for the price etc. Most of us only buy one and hope its the best for the money, so your thoughts are appreciated.
I originally bought the Helm bolt, loved it, and had to send it back as it wasn't "robust" enough, started coming apart at the point mentioned. Enjoying the Onyx but for the size, kinda wish it had a play/pause button with the functionality you might get from an inline mic on cheaper earphones.
I have the dragonfly and am extremely pleased with it. It gets used daily with my iPad. The only issue I’ve had so far was a broken 3.5mm socket as it fell to the floor and landed on the headphone plug which broke the socket.
The thing with DACs in my eyes is: Everything will sound better through a good one, but it's easier to hear the differences between low quality and high quality. That doesn't mean the low quality is unpleasant to listen to, but it makes the high quality stuff more enjoyable. On the go, I don't even use Hifi. I can't really appreciate the quality of actual Hifi on the go.
Nowadays, most people cannot even tell if a DAC is good because most of them are good enough. Amplification makes a much bigger difference (to a harder to drive headphones or more resolving ones. And most commercial headphones are easy to drive.)
First I’d like to mention great videos!!
Have you found any third party reliable IOS lighting adapter for the Dragonfly Cobalt? I have used the Apple adapters and they fit snugly with the Cobalt but as you mentioned the cords are very weak and break extremely fast in the pocket from that bend radius.
It’s a shame Audioquest doesn’t have a Dragontail adapter for IOS devices.
Wow what a great video! Much better than the 5th grade humor and head cam from Zeos. Glad I found this channel.
I bought the cobalt, it’s brilliant, I use it on the move and in the car, I can’t rate it highly enough.
Just when i thought it'd be nice to hear from Mr Darko...HERE HE IS!
Excellent playlist! Was just listening to "E-bow the Letter" yesterday. 👍
I bought a Dragonfly Cobalt a year ago and the casing fell apart on it so I sent it in and they gave me a new Dragonfly. This one doesn’t work with my phone though but it works on my parents; I guess it’s time for an upgrade!
Can't wait for this playlist on Patreon!
John, that was an xlnt review for these 3 DAC’s. I use the Meze Advars with my AK Kann Max, but want to also make use of the HiRes streaming apps with my iPhone. Bolt, THX or Dragonfly? I do like using the 4.4 mm cables with the balanced output on the Astell & Kern DAP. The Advar’s also have 3.5 mm cable.
This is really well done, thanks!
Oh, the beauty in the thumbnail!
I’m recently starting to learn about DACS so I would really like to know if there is a huge difference between this expert dongles dacs and listening to lossless Apple Music through the regular Apple lightning dongle dac. So far I understand that it can handle 24/48. A comparison would be very much appreciated
Thank you and well said. I am also a beginner and wanting to learn more. Is there is a huge difference? I have Apple Music and an Iphone, so the desire to listen to the best sounding quality is high.
I first got the Apple 3.5mm dongle but then purchased the Dragonfly Red and the difference is IMMEDIATELY apparent. I’m saving up for the Dragonfly Cobalt because from Darko’s own reviews along with several other audio reviews, Cobalt is supposed to be the best of the best.
@@jinvid What headphones do you use with your phone?
Great video. I have the Cobalt and like it. When I'm out and about, mostly Bluetooth to wireless IEM's. MP3s are all I need in that environment.
Great video John. Definitely helped making my mind up on which dac may be best for me 🙌
For iphone and ipad, i use ddhifi's TC28i. Perfect for adapting usb-c dongle dacs.
right angle adaptor would be great, thanks
I have the TC28i for my iPhone 11 with the Cobalt, was working well for months but somehow, just yesterday, the dreaded message appeared: “This accessory is not supported by this iPhone” ! It remains unsupported even when I upgraded to latest iOS version (14.7). What is a good Android phone to get to use as a transport now that LG no longer does phones?
I use the Cobalt for my desktop setup -and I love it. It's connected to some powered Yamaha HS7 speakers.
Went to get a Helm Bolt, but sold out everywhere I checked.
Any thoughts on the ALO Audio Pilot USB DAC?
Thanks for the comparison. I only wish you included the frequency response curve for each of these DAC dangles (if they're available). Describing was good, but made me a little uneasy about the Cobalt as I will use that on the go for mixing down my DAW tracks when I'm on the go.
Still, thanks for the honest assessment. Be safe!
Do these DF dongles also improves your already downloaded Mp3 music on your computer and on your Phone library or is it just for listening to Apple Music and Spotify and basically when streaming music only ?
Welcome back😇🙏
This is why I carry around the M11 Plus DAP. A headphone jack, bitperfect playback for streaming services, and it's not that big.
Thanks, nice review. 👍🏼 I still enjoy the Apogee Groove with my MacBook Pro for listing and mixing music. 💪🏼
Unfortunately mobile phones have not enough power to drive the Apogee Groove…
Great video John! Nice to see you walking round Berlin, I went in 2018 and saw Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at the Waldbühne, great gig. I have the Dragon fly cobalt, I think it’s a bloody brilliant product I pair it with Bose QC35 ii and get pretty sensational SQ whilst sat in college (I’m an architecture student) or while walking round Hull, UK. 👍
FYI for anyone else interested, the Helm Bolt is currently sold out on Helm's website. Must be the Darko effect 😉
Thanks John. Super insightful.
Please, for the love of all things holy, can you do a review of the very exciting new Astell&Kern dongle DAC? I'd love to hear your take on how its sound character compares to these devices.
Great, technical and practical review.
Perhaps this can help someone. I had an AQ Red for about a year and just loved it. When the Cobalt came out I sold the Red to a pal and did the upgrade. Love them both!! For me, the Cobalt was worth the extra money as it does sound a touch better. Both Red and Cobalt have been flawless with my HP laptop and with my iPhone 8+. Both have been flawless into my AQ NightOwl headphones, and also into my Totem Acoustic Kin Play active speaker system which I use in my office.
May I suggest that you replace your black silicone tips with custom moulded tips. Would be interesting to hear your experience with the same dongle dacs. Cheers
My definition of a valuable dongle DAC is: does it beat AAC over Bluetooth? Because true wireless with noise canceling would seem to be the “always” right choice for suburban walk about for reasons cited by JD herein. But TWS can feel lacking. And I own a couple of pleasing wired IEMs (and a few duds). So on a lark I picked up the ddHiFi TC35 in both the usb-c and lightning flavors. Love their “unibody” (no wire to bend) design. Hoped they’d sonically beat the Radsone BT Receiver with my favored IEMs. Whoa. Easily pass that test. Now, I have no indoor need for a dongle DAC. So the likelihood that the ddHiFi TC35 are a step below any of the three JD has tested seems high, but for me on walks there’s such a thing as “good enough.” At the ddHiFi price point, great value and sonic satisfaction have been given unto me, FWIW.
What is that beautiful music playing in the middle of the video? Sounded like a Four Seasons but I was not sure and Shazam doesn’t recognize it. Thank you.
Four Season, yes. If I am not wrong it was the second part of the summer (2nd of 3 parts)
I did look up all the Four Seasons I own (a dozen or so) and the ones I could stream too but none was this version. This one seems like a reworked Four Seasons Summer but I am not sure what it is exactly or which version/performance . Even Shazam and Siri couldn’t tell what it is. I wish John would tell us. Spent a lot of time trying to figure it out.
Does not match Richter either…
Lovely, just lovely.. great description…
I really enjoy my Meizu dongle DAC, it really makes a difference.
Please consider: if the iPhone-Camera-Connector (or any cheap alternative) or the USB-C-to-USB-A-Adapter breaks ... you can still use the Dragonfly with any cheap new Adapter. The Dongle still works, whereas the other Dongles (may they cost 100,- oder 200,-) are completely broken.
This is, why the Dragonfly (in my case just the black one) will alwas be my to-go-alternative. 😀
You should try out the various Bluetooth DACs like FiiO BTR5, Shanling UP4, Earman ES100, Quedelix etc.
Also, missed opportunity, you could have included Earman Eagle too
Hi good review. I had the cobalt for over a year and loved the unit. But after 2 month the dragontail usb c dose not work anymore. With an 8€ otg Adapter it worked for month.
Would love to see a shootout with the AK Dual Dac and Lotoo S2 added to the mix.
Great info John thanks for sharing.
I recently bought the Fender AE1i 3.5mm>lightning dongle DAC from an online retailer out of AU for $100 and it’s fantastic (it supports up to 32bit/384kHz)
The standard Apple lightning dongle DAC is supposed to support 24/48 and with the New Apple Music lossless service, it would be interesting to learn from a comparison.
Will you please do a separate review of the HD6XX.
Great Video. I like that you went outside do shoot it.
Great video. I use the Dragonfly Red and LCD-X. Not so great when I use this with MBP as there’s no auto-switching.
Please review Rotel AK14MKII for sound signature and also compare it against Cambridge Audio CXA81.
I get Apple Music bit perfect playback on my pixel 4xl :) unsure if it is a software update that’s happened, but using an ifi Diablo I was able to see the light change colours between the different sample rates up to 192khz